


how it should've happened

by notmyfandoms



Category: Marvel Cinematic Universe, The Avengers (Marvel) - All Media Types
Genre: Avengers: Endgame (Movie), Avengers: Endgame (Movie) Spoilers, Bucky Barnes Needs a Hug, F/M, Fix-It of Sorts, Light Angst, M/M, Post-Avengers: Endgame (Movie)
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-04-27
Updated: 2019-04-27
Packaged: 2020-02-07 11:27:47
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,261
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/18619714
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/notmyfandoms/pseuds/notmyfandoms
Summary: After minutes, hours, decades of their silence. Steve’s cracking voice broke through Bucky’s haze. “Will… will you be okay here, on your own? Without me?”Bucky laughed, sounding more like a sob than anything, and finally looked up at Steve, their eyes meeting once more. “How hard can it be to live in the 21st century? You did it,” Bucky whispered with a half smile. He didn’t even realize the tear running down his cheek until it dropped onto his arm.The behind-the-scenes goodbye that we deserved, but the Russo Brothers just forgot to film it.





	how it should've happened

**Author's Note:**

> yeah so I couldn't fall asleep after watching endgame because I was such an emotional wreck so this is what came out of it. sorry for any mistakes and grammatical errors or whatever, it was 3 am so sue me. I am a huge stucky stan, but I'm realistic enough to know that it wouldn't be canon. I'm just upset that the stucky friendship wasn't properly portrayed in their last scene together. also, i was hysterically crying at the end, so Steve's last scene was a big blur so sorry if any references from endgame are not in proper movie order!  
> psa also follow me on tumblr @notmyfandoms, I really love self promos.

“Don’t do anything stupid while I’m gone.”

“How can I? You’re taking all of the stupid with you.” The tension charged between their eyes, the bittersweet look shared by the two friends.

“I’m gonna miss you, buddy.” With the final look, Bucky knew it was final. The goodbye that was a long-time coming.

And with the press of a few buttons and the flip of a switch, he was gone.

* * * * *

Bucky was still adjusting to sleeping in a proper bed. With being cryogenically frozen, living in a farm hut, to just ceasing to exist entirely, he wasn’t sure he’d ever get used to the luxuries of a king-sized bed. He woke up that morning, thinking about the offer Steve proposed to him the night before.

_“You can come with me, you know. Both of us, our lives were taken from us. We didn’t have much choice in it. We can finally go back, live the life we were supposed to have.” Steve’s eyes met Bucky’s, but Bucky could clearly see they’re not looking at him, but the life he missed out on._

_“That isn’t my life. Not anymore, at least. Steve, you lived your life, fulfilled all the checklist of a superhero. Your self-sacrificing ass is lucky to have survived all you have, and it’s about time you’re living this life you wanted. The life you deserve. I’ve… I’ve done too much to just go back in time and forget about all the people I’ve… killed. If you don’t come back, you’re the superhero who was worthy enough to carry Thor’s hammer. I don’t deserve that, not yet anyways. I need to be worthy to stand by Captain America’s side.”_

_Bucky couldn’t keep looking at Steve, knowing that their decades of finding each other is finally coming to an end. He couldn’t bare to look at the heartbreak in his friend’s eyes, the realization that his life will, once again, be without his best friend at his side._

_Bucky opted to look down at his lap. His legs were hanging over the edge of the bed, just a few inches from Steve’s. As if Steve knew what Bucky was thinking, just like he always knows, Steve closed the gap between their knees. The small contact was enough of a spark to want more. Steve right hand clasped Bucky’s left, and even through the metal, Bucky warmed. He put his other hand on their conjoined hands, relishing the warmth that Steve always gives him, grasping Steve like it was the last time._

_“Buck, you’re always going to be worthy to be Captain America’s side, much less Steve Rogers. You may not know it, but you’re much better of a person than I can ever be. You’re the reason I’m even here today. You’re a hero. Don’t forget that on your so-called path to redemption.” Bucky hates this. He hates that Steve missed out on the life he deserves. He hates that Hydra took his life from him. He hates that their goodbye is just another way Steve to be a good friend. His best friend._

_They just sat in silence, both of them looking down to their joined hands and knocking knees. Even after all these decades, after all they’ve been through, they still know what they mean to each other. Bucky, even in his heartbreak, knew that this was supposed to happen. Their stories have overlapped so much, but he knew that this is where they had to live their own lives._

_After minutes, hours, decades of their silence. Steve’s cracking voice broke through Bucky’s haze. “Will… will you be okay here, on your own? Without me?”_

_Bucky laughed, sounding more like a sob than anything, and finally looked up at Steve, their eyes meeting once more. “How hard can it be to live in the 21st century? You did it,” Bucky whispered with a half smile. He didn’t even realize the tear running down his cheek until it dropped onto his arm._

_Steve’s hand grasped Bucky’s even harder, if it was even possible, as he spoke once more. “You know, Pym particles will still be around after you do whatever you need to do to find yourself a hero. The 1900s aren’t going anywhere. ‘Till the end of the line, jerk?” The broken optimism in Steve’s voice also broke Bucky._

_“‘Till the end of the line, punk.”_

Bucky found himself back in the same spot on the bed where him and Steve sat, legs hanging off the bed, arms reached out to the side, hoping to find the same comfort he found in Steve’s hands the night before. Eyes closed, imagining his best friend sitting beside him, Bucky’s heart wrenches when he doesn’t feel Steve’s warmth next to him again. What he does find, surprisingly, is a tattered, old sketchbook that wasn’t there last night.

Bucky examined the book in confusion, running his hands over the cover of the book, knowing that the leather was well worn from use, yet still was handled gently and cared for throughout its lifetime. He opened to the first page, and his suspicion was proved right

_To Bucky,  
We could never really leave each other. ‘Til the end of the line, buddy. _

What followed was what really broke Bucky wide open. Every page was filled with a moment in Steve’s life throughout the 19th century, every moment of him living the life he deserved. But, in every picture, you could always find Bucky somewhere by Steve. Steve and Bucky on the Cyclone again, but this time it was Bucky who was throwing up. Steve and Bucky throwing up. Bucky yelling at a baseball game, but Steve pulling him down to stop the scene he was causing. Bucky and Steve walking down a farmers market, with Bucky filling a bag full of plums excitedly and Steve turning away out of embarrassment. Steve’s wedding, with Bucky as his best man, looking proud and adoringly at his best friend, who is finally getting his happy ending. Elderly Bucky and Steve having lunch inside of a cafe while Captain America and The Winter Soldier fight on the street outside.

Every page is filled with important scenes and memories of Steve’s new life, with Bucky still by his side. He noticed a drop of water hit the page, and that’s when Bucky realized he had been crying. Crying because of Steve yet again in the past 12 hours, who knew?

Later today, Steve was going to return the infinity stones to their correct time periods. Bucky knew what Steve was going to do, and Bucky finally accepted it, knowing Steve would always be with him.

* * * * *

While Sam and Banner were freaking out on Steve’s lack of return, Bucky just remembered that leather bound sketchbook, the gently worn sketches in each page, Steve’s progressively aging face in every picture, and knew that wherever Steve was, he was okay.

Bucky didn’t really have to guess where Steve was, though. When he turned around, the elderly man sitting at the bench answered the question.

Bucky let Sam talk to him first. They had much more to talk about. Bucky and Steve’s relationship didn’t need words to know that they were okay. Nonetheless, as Sam walked away with Captain America’s shield, Bucky approached.

“Thanks for the sketchbook, old man.”

“Don’t be such a jerk. “Til the end of the line, right?” With that, Steve extended his hand to grab Bucky’s.

Bucky’s right hand met Steve’s left. The warmth was still the same, after all these years. “Yeah. ‘Til the end of the line.”


End file.
